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The Rediff Interview/Sudha Churi

'Shabana Azmi's membership of the Rajya Sabha should be revoked'

The Shiv Sena Mahila Aghadi, distaff side to Bal Thackeray's political party, has been in the forefront of the agitation against Fire. The protest against the film in Bombay at leat was led by the women, perhaps to give it a feminine orientation, unlike Thursday's protest in New Delhi.

"The film is against the very structure of our society. It is offending everyone who has seen it and we can't let such films be shown in India," fumes Sudha Churi, chief of the Mahila Aghadi in an interview with Suparn Verma.

The film has drawn rave reviews and you have crowds thronging to see it, so how can you oppose it?

Shabana Azmi and Nandita Das in Fire

"No, no, those are all college kids who are sneaking in to see the film. This film will spoil the new generation and fill their minds with vile thoughts and ideas and they will get exposed to such ideas like lesbianism and homosexuality. What will happen to society then?

But, it's already an 'Adult' film, meaning entry is restricted only those above 18...

Yes, but even those people are repelled by what they see, even though no one has complained as yet.

How will the new generation get corrupted?

You tell me, is this kind of sexual behaviour scientific? What will happen to society with this unnatural behaviour? We don't want to expose our kids to such ideas so that they never even get to think about it.

Shouldn't discussion on sexual behaviour be encouraged in the time of AIDS so there are no misconceptions about it? Besides, homosexuality has always been part of society.

Where, where is it? Have you seen those people anywhere? It doesn't exist in a big way.

So this behaviour is totally unnatural and bad.

Would you say that people leading an alternate lifestyle are bad human beings?

See, they may not be bad, but such feelings are bad which leads to bad thoughts and hence they get corrupted.

Did you know that Oscar Wilde, whose literature is taught in schools and colleges, was a homosexual?

Oh, was he? But he is an isolated case, it depends from individual to individual.

You spoke about protecting the young generation, and yet you indulge in hooliganism to impose your views. Is that a good lesson to the young ones?

See, I don't know the facts of the case, I know they approached the management to withdraw the film, but the management didn't agree. That made us angry, and in our passion we protested in every way possible.

So tomorrow, if the young generation grow up and beat up people because they don't agree with your point of view, can one hold you responsible for teaching them this method?

No, there is no such thing, we were trying to protect our culture and protect them.

The film is about two women, one of whose husband cheats on her, the other has given her up physically, and they make an individual choice. This topic should have been praised by women's organisation, but instead you are protesting against it?

You see, they make an individual choice, but how do they do it? That is what is wrong. It is against our culture and they can do what they want but don't show it on screen.

Shabana Azmi! How could she do such a film? She is a member of the Rajya Sabha, her membership should be revoked. We are ashamed of her. How could she do such a film? We are writing to the prime minister to remove her from Parliament.

What scene in the film specifically offended you?

I haven't seen the film myself and I don't even want to see such a film, our workers saw it and they told me about it.

What if you are being misled by others, as you have not seen the film yourself, for political gains?

No, no, there is no political motive in this.

But why take action so late, after the film has been running for four weeks?

(After some time) That was a mistake on our part, we should have acted earlier, but now we'll see to it that this film is shown nowhere in India.

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